Buzzworthy: Hard Root Beer Takes Off

Last evening, as the sun’s rays turned long and golden, I poured out a bottle of the hottest beer on the market right now. It didn’t seem especially promising as it bubbled out, the head fizzing and popping like a soda’s—and disappearing just as quickly. There was an aroma of vanilla in the air as sweet as confectioner’s sugar, an effect that made it look less like a dark ale than a Coca-Cola. About two hours earlier, I had picked up the beer from my local bottle shop, which had a stack of cases next to the cash register. In fact, the cashier told me, “we were just talking about that beer.”

It seems like everyone is. In an era in which it’s nearly impossible for any beer to break through the miasma of so much competition, this is an honest to goodness hit. What are we talking about? It’s called Not Your Father’s Root Beer, originally made by Chicago’s Small Town Brewery. The bottled version is 5.9%, but here’s the trick: it’s designed to be a perfect counterfeit for actual root beer. That’s why it looked and smelled more like a soda than a beer. And tasted like one: when I finally started sipping, I found a drink that tasted exactly nothing like beer and everything like soda. It recently expanded distribution from eight states to 25 and has received tons of press in the process. To meet this massive growth, the (root) beer is being contract-brewed in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and distributed through Pabst’s channels. Look for it in a store near you.

Not Your Father’s Hard Root Beer (Photo by Jeff Alworth)

It is hardly the first alcoholic soda to market. There’s an entire segment of the drinks market that fits into the “beer” slot at the grocery aisle—roughly 5% alcohol, carbonated, bottled—that is pitched at people who don’t like beer. Called things like “malternatives” or “alco-pops,” they tend not to taste very good or last very long; the list of unworthies, which stretches back decades, includes vodka- and rum-based drinks, alcoholic lemonades and teas, fruity concoctions, and quasi-beers, doesn’t contain a ton of culinary winners.

And that’s what’s really weird about Your Father’s: it’s been getting great notices. Online reviews have been positive, and even the beer geeks love it. Ratings qualify it as “world class” on BeerAdvocate (“a thing of pure beauty” and “the first sip was a revelation”) and give it a more-than-respectable 90 on RateBeer (“a very tasty achievement” and “an amazing beverage”)—even while the geeks admit it tastes nothing like actual beer. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a product that so self-consciously tries to appeal to non-beer fans but also wins over beer geeks.

Ah, but while one quirky product may win the hearts of beer and non-beer lovers alike, what happens when the imitators start pouring in? Because you know they will, and—oh wait, they already have. Boston Beer, which knows a thing or two about malternatives (it authored Angry Orchard and Twisted Tea), has already made plans to launch a hard root beer under its Coney Island label. And just last week, Berghoff Beer also announced plans to release Rowdy Root Beer, a 6.6% soda, in the Chicago area. According to recent IRI data, hard root beer has grabbed sizeable share of the craft beer segment, ranging from 3-4%, in cities in the Midwest. Multiply that out, and you start to see some pretty serious growth potential. (Milwaukee’s Sprecher has also been making a hard root beer for a couple years.)

The question that leaps to my mind is this: do people love Not Your Father’s Root Beer because they love it, or because they’re impressed with the sleight-of-hand at play? It’s made by a brewery and called a beer but tastes exactly like a root beer. Also: it tastes exactly like a root beer but, giggle, it’s boozy! Those are elements of novelty that have buoyed every malternative since the 1980s. When they’re no longer novel—when the shelves are packed with boozy colas and root beers and cream sodas—will people discover that they were more impressed with the trick than the actual product?

I’ll leave you with my own impressions. Not Your Father’s Root Beer does taste like root beer, but not one I’d enjoy drinking much of (and I love root beer). It’s really sweet. There is a nice bark-like bitter note, but it’s overwhelmed by the viscous sugar. I was only able to drink about a quarter of the glass before I had to switch to a nice, aggressively bitter IPA to scrub the coating from my teeth. Part of the problem is that I like beer, and much prefer it to soda. But if I did get a hankering for a boozy root beer, I think I’d just buy a good, old-fashioned brand and spike it with rum. If other people get that same idea, will hard root beers survive?

I had the same impression and dumped 3/4ths of my glass. Initially it was interesting, as I too like root beer, but quickly became too cloyingly sweet. I don’t thinkbits a bad option for a brewery to have, but also agree that once competition rolls in NYF s root beer will likely rescind.

That first link is interesting–thanks. I don’t begrudge anyone making a killing on the latest fad. If I had known you could make a few million selling alcoholic root beer, I’d have made it myself. But I don’t know how much long-term interest it holds for the beer fan.

I’ve had the displeasure of selling this brand since it’s beginning. The bar I ordered for would go through 3 1\2 barrels of the 10% weekly while we had 500 other ‘actual beers’ to choose from. Most customers only ordered it for a period of visits before I would hear the all to common “worst hangover ever” and we limited it to 2-3 10oz snifters per visit depending on the customer and visit time. They would swear it off and practically never order it again. Though for some reason the buzz about it kept it moving regardless of the wave of like to dislike I saw. Its extremely sweet and very much not a beer in most regards of the word. I tend to think it will go for sure decline as soon as it’s not ‘new and trendy’.

I’ve had a lot of beers that just don’t meet up to even a beer snobs tastes. But nyfrb is impressive. And while there will be undoubtedly alot of other companies that will try their had at this. I think small town brewery will hold its own. Yes it will go national and eventually become a local favorite again. I liken it to dad’s rootbeer a local favorite that you introduced to a few people and become a cult classic.

Thanks all for the comments– interesting to hear your perspectives on this. Adam, your experience is especially interesting. Publicans are our canaries in the coal mines in terms of measuring public reaction, and id love to hear more about how this stuff is selling in bars.

Hi Jeff,
Great post! Really informative as the buzz of ‘Not Your Father’s Root Beer’ has yet to reach Canada. I share your perspective, “I like beer” too. Yes, I would try this as a novelty but I always make a point to save my liquid calories for beer. Cheers!

*sigh* naturally carbonated, alcoholic root beer existed before the soda, just like ginger ale. you can even buy root beer concentrate at pretty much any homebrewing supply store. if anything it’s the soda that’s a “counterfeit”.

That is interesting. Last week I tried Coney Island and as of today I found some NYFRB (even picked up some more CI). Tasting them each at one sitting…..I have to say that to me, CI is more sugary. I’ve never been a big fan of beer and so these types of drinks are what I go for. But still I will probably tire of it eventually and switch over to McKenzie’s Pumpkin Jack Hard Cider.

There is so much demand in the North East (NH,VT,ME) that it can’t be brewed/stocked fast enough. If you see it and want it, get it then and there. I brought in some to a regional private supermarket chain, went to stock the other products and turned around to find half the display (5 case ‘stool’ stack) gone in about 15 minutes. Those were the people who DIDN’T ask if there was any in the store.
I am told it has to be consumed when it’s ice cold. I had one warm (it’s the Limey genes) and don’t recommend it that way. Smells good, first taste it’s root beer but to me it went to an earthy taste on the palate that I didn’t care for. Drink it *cold*, I’m told that doesn’t happen.

Still confused about the Gluten Free thing Chris…neither the bottle nor the case is labeled GF on mine. It appears that there is barley and malt in the beverage; both which contain gluten!
Did anyone find out the real answer?

I’m not a big root beer drinker, although I don’t hate it, but after seeing NYFRB prominently displayed in stores that sell beer, and friends from social media sites raving about it, I thought I’d give it a try. Upon pouring it, it indeed smells like root beer. After tasting it, the sweetness was overbearing. It is VERY sweet. If you don’t get a buzz from the alcohol, you will from the sugar rush. It tastes like a near flat soda, kind of like the soda you get from a fast food restaurant where it comes out of the dispenser too syrupy. There’s a strong taste of vanilla and caramel flavor. I wouldn’t even call it a beer. It didn’t seem very carbonated. It reminded me of a spicy rum and coke. I hate to waste money, so after awhile, I drank it poured over ice, hoping the melting ice would dilute some of the sweet flavor. I’m glad I tried it, just to say I did, but I won’t be buying this again.

I run a growler fill station in Boise, Idaho. A few of our local brewers have ventured into this arena with better tasting results. As for NYFRB and CI. Sales have dropped dramatically from when it was introduced. As a homebrewer as well I’m very suspicious of his claims that the sweetness is “naturally occuring, and not from added sugar”.